The subject matter of the present disclosure broadly relates to the art of gas spring devices and, more particularly, to flexible spring member constructions that include improved features and/or performance characteristics. Such flexible spring members can be included in or otherwise form a part of gas spring assemblies, suspension systems and/or methods of manufacture.
The subject matter of the present disclosure may find particular application and use in conjunction with components for wheeled vehicles, and will be shown and described herein with reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the subject matter of the present disclosure is also amenable to use in other applications and environments, and that the specific uses shown and described herein are merely exemplary. For example, the subject matter of the present disclosure could be used in connection with gas spring assemblies of non-wheeled vehicles, support structures, height adjusting systems and actuators associated with industrial machinery, components thereof and/or other such equipment. Accordingly, the subject matter of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to use associated with gas spring suspension systems of wheeled vehicles.
Wheeled motor vehicles of most types and kinds include a sprung mass, such as a body or chassis, for example, and an unsprung mass, such as two or more axles or other wheel-engaging members, for example, with a suspension system disposed therebetween. Typically, a suspension system will include a plurality of spring devices as well as a plurality of damping devices that together permit the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle to move in a somewhat controlled manner relative to one another. Movement of the sprung and unsprung masses toward one another is normally referred to in the art as jounce motion while movement of the sprung and unsprung masses away from one another is commonly referred to in the art as rebound motion.
In some cases, it may be desirable to reduce the overall weight of a vehicle suspension system. Reducing the weight of various components of the one or more gas spring assemblies of a suspension system can be one contributing factor to achieving such a goal. Known flexible spring member designs have been formed from elastomer material and include one or more endless, annular reinforcing elements embedded along and end of the flexible wall. In many cases, known reinforcing elements are formed from metal material, such as a length of solid metal rod that has been configured into an endless, annular ring or an elongated length of twisted wire that has been wound or otherwise woven into an endless, annular ring. While such known reinforcing elements generally provide sufficient reinforcing strength to achieve the desired performance of the flexible spring member, such known reinforcing elements also contribute to the overall weight of the gas spring assembly.
Notwithstanding the widespread usage and overall success of the wide variety of flexible spring member constructions that are known in the art, it is believed that a need exists to meet these competing goals while still retaining comparable or improved performance, ease of manufacture, ease of assembly, ease of installation and/or reduced cost of manufacture. Thus, it is believed to be generally desirable to develop new constructions and/or designs that may advance the art of gas spring devices.